Baklava

Recipe Rating:	15 Ratings5
Category:	Other Desserts
Collections:	Baked Treats, Festive Feasts
Serves:	Depends on cut
Prep Time:	35 Min
Cook Time:	50 Min

Ingredients

1	package of phylo dough
1 lb	chopped walnuts or pistachios
2 tsp	cinnamon
1 c	butter melted
1 c	water
1 c	sugar
1/2 c	honey
1 tsp	fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp	rose or orange blossom water (optional)

Pinched by Angie13, and 5,049 more.

Julie Hurley

Cooked to Perfection

Columbia, SC (pop. 129,272)

Bakingmom74

Member Since Jul 2010

Julie's Notes:

As a former pastry chef and owner of a Middle Eastern restaurant I've made more baklava than I can even begin to count!
It's not a difficult dessert to make but does take some time and patience.

As a variation you can mix a cup of chocolate chips into the nut mixture that goes between the layers of phyllo.
Then, after the syrup is poured over and allowed to cool, melted semi sweet chocolate can be drizzled all over the top in a decorative pattern.

Baklava makes a great gift at Christmas!

Comments from the Test Kitchen:

What a great baklava recipe! With just the right amount of butter and honey, this truly is an ideal indulgent delight. Enjoy!!

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
Mix chopped nuts with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place one sheet of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep. Don't forget to butter the top layer!
Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add honey and lemon juice. Simmer for about 20 minutes. If using add rose water or orange blossom water now.
Remove baklava from oven and pour syrup over as evenly as possible. Let cool.
In Middle Eastern bakeries they will serve each individual piece of baklava in a cupcake liner.

Comments

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Robin DuPree robdupree

Aug 19, 2010

Julie, Thanks for the post!

Kitchen Crew JustaPinch

I tried this recipe and say it's Family Tested & Approved!

Kitchen Crew JustaPinch

I shared a photo of this recipe.

Julie Hurley Bakingmom74

May 25, 2011

Wow! I had no idea I'd won! We've been in the process of moving and to my surprise a blue ribbon was delivered to my new home. Thanks so much!!!!

Andrea Crenshaw MrsJackal

Jun 30, 2011

Absolutely LOVE this recipe! Made it for the first time for Greek friends a few days ago, well, making more now! This is a great recipe. We mixed it up a little and finely chopped milk chocolate chips with cinnamon and added to the mix. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

Kim Biegacki pistachyoo

Kim Biegacki [pistachyoo] has shared this recipe with discussion group:
The Power of Orange

Kime Pierce Kimepie

Aug 31, 2011

This baklava is the best I've ever had! I made this to share at a "Mama Mia" movie party. Everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

Julie Hurley Bakingmom74

Aug 31, 2011

I'm so glad you've all enjoyed this recipe so much! I just made a "batch" myself - so good!! This recipe yields enough to share which is a good thing since a little baklava goes a LONG way!

sharon stoffers sugerbakers

Sep 20, 2011

I am anxious to try this!! It sounds wonderful. Baklava is my favorite!...:o)

Mark Bury Hiddenfire79

Oct 19, 2011

I was about to post this recipe when I thought to myself, "As easy as this is to make surely someone else has done it!" And here I found this exactly as I do it. Baklava is to me, the food of ancient gods, and just the thought of it makes me do a Homer Simpson "Mmmmmm Baklava arrrrgghghg!" This is something I make for any guest coming, to share at a potluck, and group meetings.

I have also been able a couple times, when my need for baklava turns addictive, to reduce it all down to a little dish pan so there is only a small amount because I WILL eat the whole thing if left here at my home for to long. WELL DONE ON THE BLUE RIBBON!